SANAA, Yemen, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The Yemeni military ordered roughly 10,000 troops to battle al-Qaida militants and their supporters as part of its battle against regional terrorism.
Yemeni officials ordered thousands of troops to the southern and central provinces of Yemen as a countermeasure to prevent al-Qaida from launching attacks in the country.
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, the Yemeni branch of al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for the failed bombing of a U.S. passenger jet Christmas Day. Foreign embassies closed during the weekend out of fears of an al-Qaida attack.
Hakim al-Masmari, who edits the Yemen Post, told al-Jazeera the Yemeni military surge began during the weekend.
"They are trying to force tribesmen there to make them understand that those who talk or help al-Qaida leaders or members will be (dealt with) in a very severe manner," he said.
The editor said British and American forces were not involved in attacks against al-Qaida targets in Yemen despite several media and insurgent claims to the contrary.
He maintained any foreign assistance came in the form of training and intelligence for Yemeni military forces.
Washington in the wake of the Christmas Day plot ramped up its financial pledges for the Yemeni government. Abu Baker al-Qirbi, the Yemeni foreign minister, said, however, that while Yemen was thankful for foreign developmental assistance, it would handle security matters on its own.
"Yemen is going to deal with terrorism in its own way, out of its own interests and therefore I don't think it will counter-fire," he said.
